I'm currently the Business and Agriculture Reporter at a daily newspaper - The News Leader in Staunton, Virginia. Prior to joining The News Leader I worked at a weekly paper for almost two years - The Loudoun Times-Mirror. I'm interested in writing on hard-hitting issues, features and anything that is going on in my community. I love to travel and write about my experiences and I hope to visit every state and state park someday. My days mostly conclude enjoying and curling up with a good book and a record playing, with my cat Thea. My blog is updated weekly with stories from the previous week. Check NewsLeader.com to follow current stories I've written.
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May 20, 2010
Movement Grows to Reform Marijuana Law
The Virginia Gazette
Movement grows to reform marijuana laws
By Laura Peters & Robin Hertel
To many young people, smoking pot isn’t a big deal, hardly a crime to merit hard time in prison. But law enforcement authorities take marijuana possession seriously: Over the past 20 years, the number of marijuana arrests nationwide has nearly tripled to more than 870,000 in 2007.
InVirginia
Some groups say that it’s overkill to arrest people for having a small amount of marijuana for personal use, and that it’s wrong to throw pot smokers in prison.
The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws is advocating what it considers to be “more rational and cost-effective marijuana policies.” Dee Duffy, director of theVirginia
Movement grows to reform marijuana laws
By Laura Peters & Robin Hertel
In
Some groups say that it’s overkill to arrest people for having a small amount of marijuana for personal use, and that it’s wrong to throw pot smokers in prison.
The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws is advocating what it considers to be “more rational and cost-effective marijuana policies.” Dee Duffy, director of the
“They have families, hold jobs, are educated and pose no threat to the commonwealth,” Duffy said. “The greatest threat is to the person who is in jail for marijuana possession; the punishment far outweighs the crime.”
UnderVirginia
Growing marijuana is a felony and can earn up to 30 years in jail and a $10,000 fine. The sale of a half-ounce or less of marijuana is a misdemeanor punishable by one year in jail and a $2,500 fine. Possess any greater amount and it’s counted as a felony. The seller can receive up to 50 years behind bars, depending on how much is being sold to whom, and can be fined up to $1 million.
Del. Harvey Morgan (R-Gloucester) introduced two pieces of legislation during this year’s General Assembly session dealing with marijuana. One would have decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana, and the other would have allowed doctors to use marijuana to treat more diseases.
Morgan, 79, is a pharmacist and an assistant clinical professor of pharmacy atVirginia Commonwealth University
Morgan said he believed his proposals would save the state money – the cost of arresting, prosecuting and imprisoning marijuana smokers. And he felt his medical marijuana law would help ease the pain of people with debilitating diseases.
NORML officials say marijuana laws should be changed for several reasons. For one thing, they say, the laws are selectively enforced. The group says this can be seen in a recent study that compared 2007 marijuana arrests by age and by sex in theUnited States
“Public opinion will change. Gradually, but it will. Interest and concern increases, which makes more demands on legislators,” Duffy said.
Recently inRichmond
Sheriff C.T. Woody Jr. told a television reporter that arrests like these “should serve as a reminder that our deputies are constantly on alert for illegal items entering the courthouse.” He also said such arrests illustrate how drugs can affect someone’s ability to make rational decisions.
Detective Jason Thompson of the Henrico police says that growing marijuana is more common than people think.
“Within the past several months, we have come across several grow operations,” Thompson said. “They appear to be more common in the recent years than they used to be … I think it’s a trendy thing -- a lot of the people that are into the marijuana culture. Personally, I think they find it interesting. It’s easy to grow.”
To ensure statewide enforcement, State Police are working with the Governor’s Initiative Against Narcotics Trafficking, or GIANT.
Part of GIANT’s mission is to curb the domestic cultivation of marijuana, indoor and outdoor, inVirginia U.S.
“There are so many marijuana arrests, I can’t even begin to imagine how to count them all,” Thompson said. “I have been to homes that the entire rooms have been gutted and used solely for the use of marijuana growing.”
Under
Growing marijuana is a felony and can earn up to 30 years in jail and a $10,000 fine. The sale of a half-ounce or less of marijuana is a misdemeanor punishable by one year in jail and a $2,500 fine. Possess any greater amount and it’s counted as a felony. The seller can receive up to 50 years behind bars, depending on how much is being sold to whom, and can be fined up to $1 million.
Del. Harvey Morgan (R-Gloucester) introduced two pieces of legislation during this year’s General Assembly session dealing with marijuana. One would have decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana, and the other would have allowed doctors to use marijuana to treat more diseases.
Morgan, 79, is a pharmacist and an assistant clinical professor of pharmacy at
Morgan said he believed his proposals would save the state money – the cost of arresting, prosecuting and imprisoning marijuana smokers. And he felt his medical marijuana law would help ease the pain of people with debilitating diseases.
NORML officials say marijuana laws should be changed for several reasons. For one thing, they say, the laws are selectively enforced. The group says this can be seen in a recent study that compared 2007 marijuana arrests by age and by sex in the
“Public opinion will change. Gradually, but it will. Interest and concern increases, which makes more demands on legislators,” Duffy said.
Recently in
Sheriff C.T. Woody Jr. told a television reporter that arrests like these “should serve as a reminder that our deputies are constantly on alert for illegal items entering the courthouse.” He also said such arrests illustrate how drugs can affect someone’s ability to make rational decisions.
Detective Jason Thompson of the Henrico police says that growing marijuana is more common than people think.
“Within the past several months, we have come across several grow operations,” Thompson said. “They appear to be more common in the recent years than they used to be … I think it’s a trendy thing -- a lot of the people that are into the marijuana culture. Personally, I think they find it interesting. It’s easy to grow.”
To ensure statewide enforcement, State Police are working with the Governor’s Initiative Against Narcotics Trafficking, or GIANT.
Part of GIANT’s mission is to curb the domestic cultivation of marijuana, indoor and outdoor, in
“There are so many marijuana arrests, I can’t even begin to imagine how to count them all,” Thompson said. “I have been to homes that the entire rooms have been gutted and used solely for the use of marijuana growing.”
May 2, 2010
Apr 29, 2010
Fund Drive
Audio Version
Every fall and spring since 2005 marks this happy little time that all of us at WRIR like to call "fund drive." During this spring's fund drive -- and others in the past -- the station comes to life, filling with people, laughter and a great deal of delicious food provided by local businesses. This time of year truly encompasses what being a locally-produced, operated and run station is all about.
WRIR Board Member Josh Bearman told his story.
"The meaning of the fund drive, besides the obvious 'getting us a third of our yearly income,' is to us an attempt to validate ourselves by seeing how much of the community will come out to help support WRIR because WRIR's whole message is one of localism and community outreach and community engagement," Bearman said.
In Fall 2009, WRIR raised $27,900 with 426 donors. In Spring 2009, 414 donors gave $27,700 to the station. During WRIR's first-ever fund drive, $21,000 was raised.
There is a sense of community in the kitchen as people filter in and out and grab food. Local residents come together to support a cause they believe in: independent radio, radio for the rest of us.
Julia McCauley, Operations Director for the station, spoke about what WRIR means to her.
“My favorite part about being with WRIR is working with so many people who give up their time and talents to bring radio to Richmond,” McCauley said.
“Indie radio is important because it brings voices that you won’t hear anywhere else. A lot of people don’t know the music scene around here, a lot of people don’t know about other political views and WRIR gives them that voice.”
Phil Ford is a DJ and spoke about what the station means to him.
“I do the Friday Breakfast Blend, every Friday, from 6-8am,” Ford said. “It’ll be five years coming in August. I think it’s a good sense of community more than anything; a community of people that like music and like being involved in something bigger than themselves that’s actually worth a damn.”
Melanie Lane, a donor, spoke about her WRIR experience.
"I love your station -- amazing shows, especially on Sundays. I love your Sunday shows, Monday mornings -- pretty much any time I flip it on it's just refreshing to hear something different and new. I think it's just a little bit more heartfelt, it's not so mainstream. You have a lot of people that are really pulling together for the same kind of common cause and I think that is a very important thing, especially in any community," Lane said.
"So it just kind of shows a lot of support and a lot of information that we wouldn't normally not be able to get. I don't watch the news, so you guys are my news."
A variety of premiums are offered during this year's fund drive. Keeping consistent with past drives, a newly-designed T-shirt is available for donations of $45 or more. For $100, you receive two fund drive tees and the WRIR 5th anniversary silk-screened poster signed by artist Noah Scalin. And a portion of your $200 donation will benefit Tricycle Gardens.
A student premium is also available for $20 and comes with a T-shirt from a past fund drive. All premium donation levels come with a WRIR sticker and schedule. During WRIR's music shows, a number of prizes are given out like concert tickets, CD packages and gift certificates.
WRIR's Fund Drive will continue through Sunday, May 2. Any donation helps keep the station alive. You can donate by calling 804-622-9747 or coming by the station, located at 1621-B West Broad Street. You can donate online at wrir.org.
-Laura Peters
Every fall and spring since 2005 marks this happy little time that all of us at WRIR like to call "fund drive." During this spring's fund drive -- and others in the past -- the station comes to life, filling with people, laughter and a great deal of delicious food provided by local businesses. This time of year truly encompasses what being a locally-produced, operated and run station is all about.
WRIR Board Member Josh Bearman told his story.
"The meaning of the fund drive, besides the obvious 'getting us a third of our yearly income,' is to us an attempt to validate ourselves by seeing how much of the community will come out to help support WRIR because WRIR's whole message is one of localism and community outreach and community engagement," Bearman said.
In Fall 2009, WRIR raised $27,900 with 426 donors. In Spring 2009, 414 donors gave $27,700 to the station. During WRIR's first-ever fund drive, $21,000 was raised.
There is a sense of community in the kitchen as people filter in and out and grab food. Local residents come together to support a cause they believe in: independent radio, radio for the rest of us.
Julia McCauley, Operations Director for the station, spoke about what WRIR means to her.
“My favorite part about being with WRIR is working with so many people who give up their time and talents to bring radio to Richmond,” McCauley said.
“Indie radio is important because it brings voices that you won’t hear anywhere else. A lot of people don’t know the music scene around here, a lot of people don’t know about other political views and WRIR gives them that voice.”
Phil Ford is a DJ and spoke about what the station means to him.
“I do the Friday Breakfast Blend, every Friday, from 6-8am,” Ford said. “It’ll be five years coming in August. I think it’s a good sense of community more than anything; a community of people that like music and like being involved in something bigger than themselves that’s actually worth a damn.”
Melanie Lane, a donor, spoke about her WRIR experience.
"I love your station -- amazing shows, especially on Sundays. I love your Sunday shows, Monday mornings -- pretty much any time I flip it on it's just refreshing to hear something different and new. I think it's just a little bit more heartfelt, it's not so mainstream. You have a lot of people that are really pulling together for the same kind of common cause and I think that is a very important thing, especially in any community," Lane said.
"So it just kind of shows a lot of support and a lot of information that we wouldn't normally not be able to get. I don't watch the news, so you guys are my news."
A variety of premiums are offered during this year's fund drive. Keeping consistent with past drives, a newly-designed T-shirt is available for donations of $45 or more. For $100, you receive two fund drive tees and the WRIR 5th anniversary silk-screened poster signed by artist Noah Scalin. And a portion of your $200 donation will benefit Tricycle Gardens.
A student premium is also available for $20 and comes with a T-shirt from a past fund drive. All premium donation levels come with a WRIR sticker and schedule. During WRIR's music shows, a number of prizes are given out like concert tickets, CD packages and gift certificates.
WRIR's Fund Drive will continue through Sunday, May 2. Any donation helps keep the station alive. You can donate by calling 804-622-9747 or coming by the station, located at 1621-B West Broad Street. You can donate online at wrir.org.
-Laura Peters
Apr 16, 2010
GO NUTS!
Last night marked the season opening of
Will Meeks pointed out changes to the stadium that included the removal of seating and TVs near concessions lines. Though he has his gripes, he says he is pleasantly surprised with how things have been turning out.
“So it is kind of different, but still, it’s giving room for new experiences to be held. I thought I wasn’t going to be liking the scene but I really love it,” Meeks said.
Rachel Cressin, a
“I’ve always been a big baseball fan, you know, support the local team — and let’s face it — it’s cute boys in tight pants,” Cressin said.
Mike Lusk has been watching the transition of the stadium through the winter and says that it’s become a gem.
“Baseball is back for the children of the area, and it’s a very important part of the community. A part of the community we didn’t realized was as important as it was until it was gone for 18 months,” Lusk said.
The Squirrels clobbered the Reading Phillies 3-0. Following their win, the audience sat in awe over the fireworks show at the end of the 9th inning. But don’t fret -- the Squirrels will bring fireworks on 13 different occasions this season.
The night wasn’t without disadvantages. You might want to load up on food and drinks before the game due to the long lines and angry customers — unless you enjoy waiting 30 minutes for a large beer and some Cracker Jacks.
At the end of the game, the crowd filtered out. Everyone looked a little buzzed trying to figure out how to get out of the stadium. Although the Squirrels had been on the road for the past week, they were welcomed home in their newly-renovated stadium and brought a win home for their fans.
After catching up with Cressin at the end of the game, she spoke of her excitement to have seen opening night. One of her favorite parts was the fireworks.
“I mean, like I said before, you gotta support local baseball, it’s good to have them back, and they’re actually really good, so I’ll definitely be back,” Cressin said. “I definitely think it’s a good community, I think it’s gonna bring more people out and maybe help revenue, and it’s just nice to have baseball back in
Lusk sang a jingle he wrote for the Flying Squirrels.
“Catch Squirrels mania, with the Richmond Flying Squirrels. Catch all the action, catch every play, the Richmond Flying Squirrels, excitement all the way. Go, Squirrels, go, you can make it on home. Catch all the action, with the Richmond Flying Squirrels.”
-Caroline Jackson, Kelsey Radcliffe, and Laura Peters